The Best Leaders Demonstrate and Develop Confidence and Competence
Being an effective leader takes hard work, and usually, it requires someone to have a group of followers that can positively make a difference for their cause. Leadership and even the definition of effective leaders can mean different things to different people. That is the unique element of being a leader. I keep my definition concentrated on being a people leader to improve their lives as well as the business. Many qualities will define a successful leader, but two that always play a role are confidence and competence.
If you look up either of these words, the definitions can be somewhat underwhelming. They are both strong words, and you tend to hear them a lot in our retail world as important factors in an individual’s development and success. Many retail companies have a set of competencies that they define as critical for being seen are promotable or as strong players on the team. Confidence is a competency for leadership, so these two are closely related.
Summarizing competence, it is essentially saying that you have the ability to do something successfully and efficiently. I would add that it also must be done consistently. Defining the competencies you want a leader to have then takes on a more significant meaning when you want that person to do those things successfully, efficiently, and consistently. The best leaders will identify what the most important competencies are. It is not always the list of items that companies place at the top. I would argue that situational leadership is what dictates the appropriate competencies for the moment. Being skilled in situational leadership then becomes one of the most important things an effective leader can do.
The areas of competency that leaders will need to be the most effective in center around being able to model behaviors will make others successful. In retail, that likely includes being able to provide friendly service to customers. Being a solutions provider or problem solver is another key ingredient, since the retail environment can be volatile and full of surprises on any given day. Being relatable is another skill that becomes critical in connecting and creating engagement with the team. Most store or restaurant teams are made of diverse groups of people. These teams have a mix of new associates, tenured workers, and leaders that come from different backgrounds. Connecting with them personally and professionally will ensure that these teams continue to grow in productivity, customer engagement, and the desire to provide discretionary effort.
Confidence is one of those skills and words that are positive but with a cautionary note. You want people to be confident, yet avoid being overly confident. Done wrong confidence can be destructive to the individual or those they serve. And taking it further leads to arrogance, something that will not lead to long-term success. So then, what is ‘good’ confidence?
I see confidence as a belief in what you stand for. It means being knowledgeable about a subject or approach to a situation while still being open to new ideas. Confidence is about conviction and not easily being pushed in new directions without additional facts or reason. Confidence is one of those skills you know when you see it, and you know very clearly when you do not. This skill is visceral; you feel it as much as you see it. It is more about what you experience when you interact with a confident leader versus anything specific you will hear.
The most effective leaders have confidence, but you’ll likely never hear them say it or use it overtly to guide people. It will be a combination of what they say, what they do, and how they engage with other people around them. Confidence breeds further learning, more active listening, and a willingness to share ideas. When a leader has this skill set, they do not fear whether they know everything. They do not hoard knowledge out of concern of someone else knowing more or doing something else with that information. Confident leaders want others to be successful, want others to grow, and expect them to share as willingly as themselves.
Both attributes, competence and confidence, take practice. It may sound odd that it takes practice to be confident, but when you think about its true meaning, the practice comes from learning about subjects, expanding your knowledge base, and sharing that back effectively. Practicing allows you to find the boundaries that make it a competence (something you do well and efficiently) and overdoing it to a point where others find you arrogant and off-putting.
Competence is a skill in itself, and it can be developed and grown for every leader. Confidence mirrors that. Both can be nurtured and grown as skills for your leadership style and your ability to influence others around you effectively. They are the core of a successful leader.
How are you developing your overall competence and confidence?
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